Grog With A Twist: Try These Fun Spins On The Rum Classic
Wind in your sails and heave ho! Preferably with a gulper of rum in hand! For centuries, sailors aboard Navy vessels in the Caribbean seas would make the grog cocktail, a delicious drink containing Navy rum and lime juice. Dating as far back as the 1600s, this was a mixture prepared to savour the tot or the double portion of rum that was distributed among sailors on board the gigantic ships. Over time, the grog cocktail has become a classic, enjoyed for its high alcohol content that coupled with zesty lime juice and some sugar packs quite an indulgent kick.
In the contemporary world, there are many variations you can prepare as a bit of a riff on the classic grog recipe that redefines how this drink is served at modern bars. From adding tropical fruits like pineapples and melons, to crafting a slightly spicier version by adding a dash of spiced rum, there are many types of grog cocktails that can be prepared to enjoy all its tiki flavours in abundance. The cocktail is the perfect blend for a tropical do, so when you next host a tiki or island-themed party, you can prepare these mixes and load them with a welcoming boozy kick.
Read on to know more about the cocktail variations that redefine the classic recipe for an indulgent, zesty take on the traditional concoction:
Pineapple Navy Grog
Adding pineapple or some citrusy elements like grapefruit or passionfruit to the traditional grog recipe means you introduce extra zesty notes along with the lime juice that goes into making the grog cocktail. One of the more inventive ways to serve this simple drink is to introduce this added layer of tang which imbues the recipe with a flavour explosion that would really dance on your taste buds.
Blackstrap Navy Grog
Blackstrap essentially refers to the last stage molasses attains which is used to prepare rum, to infuse it with lots of intense, smokey and complex flavour. This is the slightly dark and sludgy and thoroughly bitter component that is attained when sugarcane is crushed into juice to process it for making rum. Adding a pure blackstrap rum to a navy grog would mean enhancing its bitterness and intensity to make the drink stronger than ever and give it a more potent flavour.
Coconut Navy Grog
Put a little bit of sweet and creamy tropical fun into your traditional navy grog with the addition of coconut cream or simple coconut shavings that help to make the concoction a bit mild. You can also prepare the navy grog in chilled coconut water and do away with the plain water in the recipe for thoroughly mixing the coconut flavours into the cocktail. This is the perfect drink to make when you are hosting a tiki party and want to redefine a classic cocktail using an innovative spin.
Tiki Grog
This is yet another variation perfect for your tiki party. A tiki grog puts a lovely island-like spin on the cocktail by pouring in a blend of dark and light rum and doing away with the navy rum that has far greater alcohol content. It also involves adding more citrusy, tropical elements like passionfruit, grapefruit, oranges and even sweeter mixers like grenadine that make for a really fun, modern drink served in a tiki mug.
Hot Buttered Grog
While this one is hardly an inventive spin, mixing hot buttered rum into lime juice and simple syrup to make the grog cocktail is a thoroughly inviting prospect. The soft, slightly salty butter adds a little surprise element into the drink that undercuts some of the bitter and intense flavours in a classic grog. You can create this cocktail in winters to keep you warm and to enjoy a relaxing buzz!
